


Someone to Hold

by myworldisbiworld



Series: Tumblr Prompts [1]
Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Developing Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Recreational Drug Use, Romantic Friendship, Tumblr Ask Box Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-09
Updated: 2019-01-09
Packaged: 2019-10-07 04:02:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17358569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myworldisbiworld/pseuds/myworldisbiworld
Summary: For the Tumblr ask prompt - "Things you said at 1am"Some quick, light fluff about Danse & Nate.





	Someone to Hold

Nate stumbled through the door, drunk again. Danse turned halfway in his desk chair to see the man fall face-first onto his bedroll, haphazardly laid out at the foot of Danse's bed. 

“This behavior is inappropriate, soldier,” Danse chided from his chair. When Nate only flopped a hand at him, Danse added briskly, “Your actions affect more than just you. Any of your poor behavior is a reflection of me, too.”

“Anyone said anything to you?”

“Not directly, but--”

“Let me know when they do. I'll straighten them out.”

“You can't possibly have functioned like this in the prewar military.”

Nate choked out a laugh. From the depths of his coat, he pulled out a joint and held it in the corner of his mouth. As he clumsily searched his other pockets for a lighter, Danse stood up from his chair.

“I let you sleep in here because of your nightmares, but if you continue to return this way, I will have to insist you leave.”

“Now?” Nate blinked hazedly up at him, then shrugged. It was an embarrassing sight to watch the man try to get to his feet, never quite gaining mastery of his balance. 

Danse sighed and caught Nate as he tumbled, wrapping one hand around Nate's shoulders. Over half a foot shorter than Danse and built for finesse over raw bulk, Nate was easy enough to keep standing.

“Not tonight. I don't need you falling off the flight deck.”

Nate sighed. “Man, that sounds nice. Just a quick, sweet rush before checking out forever.”

As always, Danse didn't know what to say. Nate's suicidality had come out before, and only got worse when he was under the influence. Silently, Danse helped his ward over to the bed, where they took a seat side by side. Danse slipped his arm from Nate's shoulder and let his hands rest in his lap.

“How long did it take you?” Nate asked quietly.

“What do you mean?”

“To sleep. To… get over what happened to Cutler.”

Danse’s hands instantly clenched into fists, but a slow, steady breath gave him enough strength to unfurl them again. Carefully but honestly, he replied, “I still feel pain thinking about him, but I have learned to sleep. It does me well to remember that he would have wanted me to be well.”

“Oh, I know that's what Nora wanted, too. She told me to go out and have fun and live for the two of us. But that's why I hate myself so fucking much.” Nate smashed a palm to his hair, clenched at his roots in frustration. “I don't know what to do. This world sucks, radiation sucks, people suck, and I can't find our damn son.”

“Well--”

“It's not the nightmares that keep me up, Danse,” Nate ploughed on. “It's being alone. After meeting Nora, I never slept alone again. Now… now I don't know what the fuck to do.”

“Sleep with me.”

That gave Nate pause. He lifted his head and stared at Danse, wide-eyed, but stayed silent.

“ _ Next _ to me,” Danse clarified, feeling a blush on his cheeks. “With clothes.”

“Oh.” Nate’s expression was unreadable. “Are you really okay with that?”

Danse wanted to look away, his heart threatening to leap from his chest, but he was caught by those soft hazel eyes. Suddenly, he found himself smiling.

“Yes. Yes, I am.”


End file.
